"UCL Matchday 2: Game-by-game preview"

" UCL Matchday 2: Game-by-game preview \r\n\r\n Get the lowdown on each of the 16 matches as the 2023-24 Uefa Champions League group stage continues. \r\n\r\n The best of the best are competing on the ultimate stage in the 2023-24 Uefa Champions League group stage; get all the key information on the 16 fixtures coming up on matchday 2. \r\n\r\n Tuesday 3 October \r\n\r\n Union Berlin v Braga \r\n\r\n History will be made at the Olympiastadion when Union Berlin host their first-ever Champions League game, but the Portuguese side are at least more familiar.\u00a0 \r\n\r\n Speaking after the draw, Union president Dirk Zingler said: \"With Braga, we face an opponent we already know from the Uefa Europa League.\" That knowledge came from last season when the sides traded 1-0 victories and Union will be happy if they repeat their home success from those meetings, which came courtesy of Robin Knoche's penalty. \r\n\r\n Did you know? \r\n\r\n None of Braga's previous 13 Champions League group stage matches finished in a draw. \r\n\r\n Salzburg v Real Sociedad \r\n\r\n Speaking after their notable 2-0 victory at Benfica on Matchday 1, Salzburg coach Gerhard Struber said: \"We played a very good game, but we have to stay calm. Our aim is to play in Europe after the winter. We want to improve in this competition from game to game.\"\u00a0 \r\n\r\n The Austrian side have continued their European journey after the group stage in each of the last six seasons but only once in the Champions League. A six-point haul after two games would give them a huge chance to reach the last 16 of this competition for the second time. \r\n\r\n Did you know? \r\n\r\n La Real are without a win in their last 11 Champions League group stage matches (D5 L6), stretching back to a 2-1 victory at Galatasaray in September 2003. \r\n\r\n Man United v Galatasaray\u00a0 \r\n\r\n Andr\u00e9 Onana gave a refreshingly honest interview after Erik ten Hag's men slipped to a 4-3 defeat at Bayern in their opener, saying: \"The team was very good, I think it's because of me that they didn't win this game. So I'm happy for the work of the team. We just have to move on.\"\u00a0 \r\n\r\n United are usually a different proposition at home, though, and were unbeaten in 32 games at Old Trafford before a reverse against Brighton four days before matchday 1. \r\n\r\n Did you know? \r\n\r\n Galatasaray have lost only one of their last 19 Uefa club competition matches (W10 D8). \r\n\r\n Copenhagen v Bayern \r\n\r\n Bayern were on the right end of that pulsating contest against Man United but Leroy San\u00e9 felt there was plenty of room for improvement. \"We're happy to have won our first Champions League game of the season,\" he said. \"It was a pretty wild game. We were good going forward, but have to stop making so many mistakes.\"\u00a0 \r\n\r\n The same could be said for Copenhagen, who were two goals up at Galatasaray but were pegged back late on after Elias Jelert's red card. Who can cut out the errors best at Parken? \r\n\r\n Did you know? \r\n\r\n Bayern are unbeaten in a competition record 35 Champions League group matches (W32 D3) and have won each of their last 14 games at that stage, also a record. \r\n\r\n Lens v Arsenal \r\n\r\n Lens coach Franck Haise praised his side after they put their patchy domestic form behind them to draw 1-1 at Sevilla on Matchday 1, saying: \" \r\n\r\n The team played with heart, with intelligence, and showed that we are still here and we are still a good side. I know what they are capable of. I have full confidence in my squad.\" They will need all that belief when they host an Arsenal side that confidently dismantled PSV 4-0 in their group opener. \r\n\r\n Did you know? \r\n\r\n Arsenal have scored in their last 18 Champions League group-stage matches. \r\n\r\n PSV Eindhoven v Sevilla \r\n\r\n Jos\u00e9 Luis Mendilibar highlighted the elite nature of the competition following Sevilla's home draw with Lens. \"It's a Champions League match with the best in Europe and without playing well you add a point. We have to think this is not bad.\"\u00a0 \r\n\r\n PSV would gladly have taken a point instead of the result they suffered at Arsenal but will be expecting better here, having won their last five at home in European competition, scoring 18 goals in the process. \r\n\r\n Did you know? \r\n\r\n PSV are without a win in their last 13 Champions League group stage matches (D4 L9). \r\n\r\n Napoli v Real Madrid \r\n\r\n \"We need to defend better, more compact. It's tough in the Champions League, different to the domestic league,\" said defender Juan Jesus after Napoli edged past Braga late on in their group opener.\u00a0 \r\n\r\n The Partenopei could draw inspiration from Union Berlin, who put on a defensive masterclass to frustrate Madrid until the last kick of the game, when Jude Bellingham prised the points. Stopping the in-form Englishman may be key for Rudi Garcia's side. \r\n\r\n Did you know? \r\n\r\n Napoli have won seven of their last eight Champions League group-stage matches. \r\n\r\n Inter v Benfica \r\n\r\n Nerazzurri goalkeeper Yann Sommer praised his side's mentality after the 2023 finalists snatched a point at Real Sociedad. \"We showed character,\" he said. \"It says a lot that we never give up. Good teams can have a bad game, but it's important you get something even out of a bad game, and we did that today.\"\u00a0 \r\n\r\n Unlike Benfica, who never recovered after Ant\u00f3nio Silva's early dismissal in their 2-0 home defeat by Salzburg and will need to summon the spirit of their unbeaten group-stage campaign last term to begin their turnaround this term. \r\n\r\n Did you know? \r\n\r\n Inter have now scored exactly 200 goals in the Champions League, group stage to final. \r\n\r\n Wednesday 4 October \r\n\r\n Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid v Feyenoord \r\n\r\n Diego Simeone has seen most things in football during more than three decades as a player and coach but goalkeeper Ivan Provedel's last-gasp equaliser on Matchday 1 might well have been a first. \"We had clear goalscoring chances, defended organised and with a lot of effort,\" he said.\u00a0 \r\n\r\n \"I am left with a good feeling despite the goal in the last minute.\" Five days later Atl\u00e9tico beat Real Madrid 3-1 in LaLiga, giving Feyenoord a warning that Simeone's side usually react well to setbacks. \r\n\r\n Did you know? \r\n\r\n Atl\u00e9tico have won only two of their last 11 Champions League group stage matches (D3 L6). \r\n\r\n Antwerp v Shakhtar Donetsk \r\n\r\n Toby Alderweireld offered Shakhtar a warning after Antwerp were beaten 5-0 by Barcelona on their group stage debut. \"Sometimes it's not bad to be beaten like this,\" he said.\u00a0 \r\n\r\n \"It makes you angry, you store that up and then you feel the heat and deploy it next time you play.\" The Ukrainian side will be equally determined to make amends for Matchday 1 when they shipped three goals inside half an hour as they succumbed to Porto. \r\n\r\n Did you know? \r\n\r\n Shakhtar have won only one of their last 14 Champions League group stage matches (D6 L7). \r\n\r\n Celtic v Lazio\u00a0 \r\n\r\n Brendan Rodgers was in philosophical mood after his nine-man Celtic side were defeated 2-0 at Feyenoord, saying: \"If we can get to the last game when we play Feyenoord at home with everything to play for, then we will be in with a fantastic chance.\"\u00a0 \r\n\r\n Their form in Glasgow will be pivotal if they are to remain in contention come matchday 6, meaning they must end their ten-game winless home run in the group stage as soon as possible. \r\n\r\n Did you know? \r\n\r\n Lazio are unbeaten in seven Champions League group stage matches (W2 D5). \r\n\r\n Dortmund v Milan \r\n\r\n Edin Terzic was quick to point out areas of improvement for Dortmund after they suffered a disappointing 2-0 reverse at Paris. \"We wanted to be braver, attack more, leave our positions more,\" he said. \"We saw after the break what is possible if you are ready to move those three to five metres up and trust the player behind you.\"\u00a0 \r\n\r\n Milan did display the necessary courage against Newcastle on Matchday 1; now adding a clinical edge will be their goal after Stefano Pioli's men drew a blank in that game. \r\n\r\n Did you know? \r\n\r\n Dortmund have only lost one of their last 15 home games in the Champions League group stage (W9 D5). \r\n\r\n Newcastle v Paris \r\n\r\n Newcastle followed up their encouraging goalless draw at Milan by winning 8-0 at Sheffield United in the Premier League, showing their ability to balance to domestic and European commitments. \"Three games, three clean sheets, really good week,\" summarised defender Dan Burn.\u00a0 \r\n\r\n \"We were built on being solid defensively last season so it's great to get back to that.\" Paris also followed up a good Champions League result \u2013 the 2-0 victory against Dortmund \u2013 with an excellent domestic showing as they beat Marseille 4-0, although Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 limped off injured. \r\n\r\n Did you know? \r\n\r\n Newcastle have lost only two of their last 19 Uefa club competition group stage matches (W10 D7). \r\n\r\n Leipzig v Man City\u00a0 \r\n\r\n \"The Saxons profited from an exciting start and a strong second half, which made up for a period of weakness in the first,\" was the summary of Leipziger Volkszeitung after Leipzig's 3-1 success at Young Boys on Matchday 1.\u00a0 \r\n\r\n Marco Rose's side will not be able to afford any first-half lapses against City and Erling Haaland, who scored three of his five goals against them in last season's round of 16 second leg before the break. \r\n\r\n Did you know? \r\n\r\n City have lost only two of their last 30 Champions League group stage matches (W22 D6). \r\n\r\n Crvena zvezda v Young Boys \r\n\r\n \"We have to play with the same courage as we did today up against the top teams, but iron out those moments of poor concentration,\" was the verdict of YB coach Rapha\u00ebl Wicky as they slipped to a 3-1 defeat by Leipzig.\u00a0 \r\n\r\n Their Serbian opponents showed the bravery that Wicky desires, taking the lead at holders Man City before eventually going down 3-1. Both will see this game as vital if they are to harbour hopes of making it out of this section. \r\n\r\n Did you know? \r\n\r\n Crvena Zvezda have won one of their three home games in both of their previous Champions League group appearances. \r\n\r\n Porto v Barcelona\u00a0 \r\n\r\n Xavi Hern\u00e1ndez was purring after his side began their European campaign by cruising past Antwerp 5-0. \"All my players are enjoying themselves,\" he said. \"We are playing better football than before \u2013 probably the best football since I took over.\" \r\n\r\n \u00a0A sizeable task facing Porto then, but S\u00e9rgio Concei\u00e7\u00e3o's men have shown they will not go away quietly having scored five times in the 90th minute or beyond in their opening six Portuguese Liga outings. \r\n\r\n Did you know? \r\n\r\n On Matchday 1, Barcelona's Lamine Yamal (16 years 68 days) became the second youngest player to make an appearance in the Champions League after Youssoufa Moukoko (16 years 18 days). \r\n\r\n "

"UCL Matchday 2: Game-by-game preview"

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